I think New Year’s Eve used to be a big deal. Actually, I can nail it down: December 31st, 1999 was the last time I cared. Really, it’s just an excuse to drink without abandon, why do you need a “holiday” for that?

Some of my associates went to a trendy lounge hosting a “four hour open bar!” for an exorbitant amount of cash. Been there. It’s never a good idea. You enter with one thing on your mind: must…get…money’s…worth. My New Year’s plans usually involve an event, but only one I’d do any other day of the year: concert, party, shooting craps ‘til dawn in a basement in Old San Juan. Feliz año nuevo, amigos!

The hot stove has become a tepid bath, and I’m turning my sights forward. We’re crankin’ up the flux capacitor and setting the controls for the heart of the sun. The best GMs are not only good at keeping a team competitive short-term, but considering today’s resources to set up the future of the club. This was originally going to be a five-year look, but the endless possibility of changes twirled around and left me crying in a puddle of tear-soaked stat sheets.

Ladies and gentleman, I present your 2010 Red Sox. As usual, this is an exercise involving many assumptions, half-truths and voodoo economics. Hopefully it will provide some perspective; at the very least it should make you happy.

CF Jacoby Ellsbury
2B Dustin Pedroia
DH David Ortiz
RF Alex Rios
1B Lars Anderson
LF J.D. Drew
3B Mike Lowell
SS Julio Lugo
C Taylor Teagarden

Notable omissions include Youkilis, Kevin; Varitek, Jason and Ramirez, Manny. The latter has a $20m team option, money that will be better spent elsewhere. Alex Rios is sitting at 4+ years of service time today, making his free agency possible after 2009. Of course, I’m notorious for unrequited crushes on Toronto outfielders (I still love you, Vernon), so Matt Holliday may turn out to be a better option. He’d fill the Ramirez void more completely. Rios’ first four years are frighteningly similar to Coco Crisp’s, another reason to pause. This list is a mixed bag of stars and role players, but contains no one with much hope of replacing the production of Ramirez. I’m waiting for Holliday to prove himself away from Coors and Rios’ power numbers to continue up in 2008. I chose Rios for this exercise because his cost will be lower than the runner-up MVP. The problem with the high upside outfielders in the system (Kalish, Reddick) is their wrong-handedness. Righty Jason Place could be the answer if he cuts out the Francoeur impression, but his 39/13 K/BB in the Hawaiian Winter League is worrisome.

We’ll welcome Texas farmhand Taylor Teagarden with the sad departure of Youkilis, who will become expendable if Anderson tears through Lancaster and Portland in 2008. Youk would be a nice fit in Texas, who will say goodbye to Hank Blaylock after this season and have Chris Davis a few years away. Of course, if the Rangers would rather send us Saltalamacchia, I’d oblige. Among the triumvirate of Texas catchers, I’m less enamored with Max Ramirez’s serious defensive flaws. Teagarden is known as a talented game caller and thrower with offensive questions. Ligament replacement surgery in 2006 hasn’t affected his defense, and in fact he came back stronger at the plate. Last year he posted a 1.012 OPS splitting time in the Cal (A+) and Texas (AA) leagues. You should know to take California League stats with a grain of salt. Keeping Varitek in the fold to coach would be great, ideally he’d be extended after 2008 and phased out of the starting job in 2010. I’d give him the same recurring option deal Wakefield has at twice the salary ($8m) without a second thought.

A lot of things have to go right for this pipe dream to come true, but its not completely unreasonable. Keep an eye on Anderson and Teagarden, with Will Middlebrooks and Oscar Tejeda in mind for the left side post-Lugo/Lowell. Coming next week, the 2010 pitching staff.